Floods, blizzards, fires SA国际影视传媒� the apocalypse is going on around her, but thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not stopping this lover of the North from spreading holiday cheer.
SA国际影视传媒淟ife doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 stop just because Mother NatureSA国际影视传媒檚 gone a little crazy,SA国际影视传媒� said Cindy Dhillon from Kamloops, B.C., a city currently providing refuge for people displaced from historic floods in the province.
When Kivalliq News called, a blizzard was raging outside her window, while the transportation corridors connecting the rest of the province to the greater Vancouver area were out of commission; cell phone lines were spotty at best, as landslides took out infrastructure; and all of that is on top of a summer full of wildfires that saw one entire town, Lytton, burn to the ground SA国际影视传媒� not even to mention the tragic news of residential school discoveries in Kamloops that set off a chain of investigations and reconciliation.
But on the phone, Dhillon is as cheery as her management of the endlessly positive and energetic Facebook group Northern Canada Mini Projects would suggest.
The group might have SA国际影视传媒榦nlySA国际影视传媒� 640 members, but one would be hard pressed to find a more active and giving community.
How the group works: Dhillon posts Northern communities that could use some love, and dozens and even hundreds of comments flood in from southerners arranging packages to send up. She has arranged gift campaigns for every community in the North, regularly theming them to holidays, students, Elders or otherwise.
She even goes the extra mile by using her resources in communities to find all the EldersSA国际影视传媒� names and what they might like to receive so that members can tailor their presents to individual recipients.
In a recent Christmas gift campaign, Dhillon reported that more than 5,500 gifts were destined for Northern students this year.
SA国际影视传媒淚 just became aware of issues doing a Google search across the newsfeed one day,SA国际影视传媒� said Dhillon, who has been running the group for six years and has never been to the North herself. SA国际影视传媒淭here are a lot of struggles in the North that people just arenSA国际影视传媒檛 aware of until itSA国际影视传媒檚 brought to their attention.SA国际影视传媒�
She clarifies that the members of her group arenSA国际影视传媒檛 SA国际影视传媒榮avioursSA国际影视传媒� of the North; they are simply good Samaritans who want to help.
SA国际影视传媒淎fter a lifetime of not knowing or being formally educated on what unique and sometimes heartbreaking challenges Inuit and Indigenous groups are faced with, the board offers (southern members) a place to go, be educated and consciously do something about it,SA国际影视传媒� said Dhillon.
Politicians and governments can sometimes go in circles trying to address needs and figuring out who pays for what, said Dhillon, so in the meantime, the group steps in and fills any needs members can.
Many southerners are completely ignorant about what goes on in the North, she added, and are outraged when they find out about some of the conditions and government neglect.
The cost for sending gifts is entirely on the givers, who pay for the presents and shipping themselves. Hundreds of photos adorn the groupSA国际影视传媒檚 page of packages being taped up, ready to send out or arriving at their final destinations. The group loves to see photos of Northerners receiving the presents.
Beyond gifts, the group also organizes fundraisers for things like soup kitchens, food banks and student travel to sports events.
If she wins the lottery, Dhillon plans to finally go north herself and see the people sheSA国际影视传媒檚 been sending gifts. In the meantime, sheSA国际影视传媒檇 rather use any spare cash for more presents than a plane ticket for herself.
If you know a community in need, search for the group on Facebook and ask to join SA国际影视传媒� they would love to hear more.
